Read Online Abandon by Stephanie Dorman - Free Book Online

found herself moving towards the kitchen.  Yesterday the only thing she had to eat was the cupcakes and champagne at Meredith’s and today she was famished.  Jenna and Kevin were gathered in the kitchen looking at the various types of food before them, and Jake was sitting at the table doing what appeared to be a crossword puzzle.  If someone had been looking in on the scene from an outsiders view you’d almost think they were just on a vacation instead of on the run from a crisis situation in their hometowns.  The only ones missing were Cort and Katy, and she somehow managed to suppress a surge of jealousy at the thought they might be currently enjoying each other in a sexual sense.          
    “There’s nothing that is really breakfast food,” Jenna complained moving some cans around.  
    “Anything can be breakfast food,” Annalise said coming up behind Jenna.  “You just have to find a way to cook it right.”  The amount of food before them was staggering, although it did seem to be lacking the breakfast staples of eggs, bacon, and orange juice.   Picking up a can of mushrooms she twirled it around in her hands.  “Do you trust me?” she asked Jenna nudging her with her elbow.
    Kevin was the one to respond, “I’ve had your cooking Annalsie. Jenna, make room, it’s Annalise’s turn to make breakfast.”  Kevin grabbed Jenna around the waist and pulled her to the sliding glass doors.  “Let’s go check out what’s outside.”
    Annalise chuckled at them and started opening various cans, pulling out pots and pans and turning on the stove.  “Jake, you want some breakfast?”
    Jake grunted over his crossword.  The grunt was probably the closest thing to an affirmative response she would be getting at this point, so she took it as a yes and pulled out a plate for him, as well as Cort and Katy.  A childlike part of her wanted to exclude Katy from the meal she was making based on their only interaction last night, but that kind of overt action would be noticed by the group.  She had to be on her best behavior and let them make a decision on her and Katy of their own accord.  
    She poured all the cans she had opened into the pot on the stove and began stirring it as she watched Jenna and Kevin through the window.  Jenna and Kevin had always been the perfect couple; even now as they walked hand in hand around the edge of the lake with everything so uncertain they seemed completely at peace with each other.  It was almost as if everything else in the world could fade away leaving them and they would be content.  She wasn’t envious of their relationship, she was in awe of it.  The kind of trust and love it took for them to be like that was something that she didn’t know if she would experience.  
    Jake groaned from the table, breaking her out of her thoughts.  “Nine letter word for chew,” he said out loud to no one in particular.
    “Masticate,” Cort responded as he walked into the kitchen leaning over her pot to inspect it.  “Smells great... but what is it?”
    “Grits,” Katy responded before Annalise had the chance, looking over his shoulder into the pot.  She smiled at Annalise and held out her hand in an apparent truce.  “My mom used to make them all the time for me.  I’m Katy, it’s nice to meet you.”
    Annalise couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t apologize for her behavior the night before, but she took her hand and gave it a firm shake.  “Annalise.”
    Cort was eying them both, waiting to see what happened next.  She wondered if Cort had told her the history of them, although from the way that Katy was looking at her she doubted it.  If she did know, there would probably be some reservation or judging that Katy would be doing.  The look on her face was friendly, but blank.  Like Annalise wasn’t a threat and never would be.  That bothered Annalise more than she was willing to admit to even herself.  What if she did know, and was just